Arjuna da Silva built her off-grid home using natural materials such as wood, clay and straw. It’s a beautiful structure, but da Silva advises that natural building is best left to those with patience and expertise.
Mother Earth News Fair offers something for every stage of life
The Mother Earth News Fair returns to WNC Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29, bringing exhibitors, vendors and presenters to the area to help attendees learn techniques for living simpler, more meaningful lives.
In Photos: Claxton Elementary celebrates 3rd annual Bee Day
On April 24, the media center at Claxton Elementary School on Merrimon Avenue swarmed with students celebrating the school’s third annual Bee Day.
Generations of flavor: Rhubarb spreads its roots from past to present
The perennial’s tart edible stalks lend themselves to everything from pies to pickles, and its robust root systems make it an ideal plant for sharing with friends.
Gardening club continues legacy of service, friendship
“There are 22 women’s garden clubs in Asheville; this is the only men’s garden club,” says member Gerry Hardesty. The Men’s Garden Club is carrying on a tradition of community service and education that spans nearly eight decades, and it welcomes new members.
WNC Repair Café returns to Living Web Farms
Got a broken toaster or sewing machine? Maybe a lawnmower that won’t crank after its winter hibernation? Check out the WNC Repair Café on Tuesday, April 24 in Hendersonville. At the free event, which is run by the local incarnation of a global network, residents can get help fixing common items, resulting in saving money and keeping repairable objects out of the landfill.
Future shock: Local schools’ sustainability programs answer many needs
Local colleges and universities are offering an increasing number of sustainability focused degree and certificate programs to allow students to prepare for the jobs of the future and make a positive impact on the planet.
Worms eat Stephanie Harper’s garbage
Stephanie Harper set up her vermicomposting bin for under $40, using supplies that are readily available locally. Her worms — which she says are “kind of like pets” — break down food waste, turning it into a rich fertilizer for the garden.
Megan Naylor farms with biodynamic principles in mind
As a biodynamic farmer, Megan Naylor of Barnardsville strives to create a closed-loop system that feeds her livestock, her family and the soil.
Breaking down barriers: Nonprofits help WNC families clear hurdles to food access
Asheville-area initiatives are seeking to connect food-insecure communities with fresh, locally grown food while also supporting WNC farmers.
To-go box revival redux: Resuscitating restaurant leftovers with Ashley English and Nate Allen
Don’t trash that doggy bag! Asheville culinary experts have some creative ideas for giving new life to leftover restaurant meals.
Alyssa Sacora cans food from her garden to carry on a tradition
Alyssa Sacora grows and cans much of her own food to increase the year-round quality of her diet and as an environmentally friendly strategy for long-term storage. She also does it as a way of carrying on a long-standing tradition in her family.
Nicholas Letts brought the sharing economy to Asheville with tool library
While reducing the environmental impact of purchasing tools that member households may need only infrequently is a key goal for the Asheville Tool Library, the nonprofit has an even bigger vision. Founder Nicholas Letts says he hopes the library levels the economic playing field by reducing expenses and promoting collaboration.
Woodson Branch School offers a nature-based education to youths
Nature-based schools are catching on around the country. The Woodson Branch Nature School, located in Hot Springs and Marshall, is a local manifestation of the trend, which emphasizes outdoor learning and unstructured outdoor play.
Danu Macon dreams of planting 1,000 fruit trees in WNC this year
Danu Macon plans to plant 1,000 fruit trees in Western North Carolina in 2018.
Making the grade: WNC’s college dining programs get high scores for sustainability
Increasingly, U.S. colleges and universities are working to make their institutions as environmentally sustainable as possible. These efforts cover a broad spectrum, from a recycling initiative at Stanford University that diverts 65 percent of the school’s solid waste away from landfills to Cornell’s plan to be carbon-neutral by 2035, as noted in The Princeton Review’s annual ranking […]
Workshops focus on caring for Asheville’s urban forests
Asheville GreenWorks, the Tree Commission and the city have joined forces to host a four-part workshop series on tree care this spring.
Conscious Party: Green Built Alliance Disc Golf Tournament
The fundraiser for the sustainable design nonprofit takes place April 14 at Lake Julian Park.
DeWayne Barton feeds both mouth and spirit at the Burton Street Peace Garden
The Burton Street Peace Garden started out as a community experiment, says founder DeWayne Barton. Today, the space serves a variety of needs and purposes, nourishing bodies and souls on what was once a trash-strewn vacant lot.
Boone Guyton’s car is powered by the sun
When Boone Guyton and Claudia Cady take to the road, they are driving on energy gathered from the sun by their home solar panel system. The couple made the switch to an electric vehicle as a personal step to fight climate change.
Wildly prolific: Cooking with WNC’s native spring perennials
Some of Western North Carolina’s freshest spring ingredients are found outside the garden.